Dragon Souls (Rewritten)
by GabbieWrites2032
Summary: The dragons of Earth-land are dead, reduced to tales and folklore by that which they once defended. While they may be gone, the dragon's legacy lives on. This legacy faces things that would have even their ancestors quaking in fear and if they cannot become strong enough, the world itself is at risk. Alone, there is no hope, but together, they may reign victorious. (Nalu story)
1. Prologue

Magic thrummed steadily through the air, twisting and turning into different forms and shapes. The most energetic of it lapped hungrily at its surroundings, turning anything in its path to ash. He could hear the screams below as the ancient, primal magic swept its way through the current obstacle.

Humans were never the brightest of species, they dabbled in forces that they could never dream of truly controlling. They thirsted for power, for magic in its grandness, and they got it. Dragons had long since been the guardians of mankind, teaching them to _feel _the world around them while warding off those who sought their destruction.

That protection allowed them to flourish, allowing them to know about things that they could never comprehend. Magic was an object to them, something to take and abuse. They held no respect for it, did not recognize that it was the very air they breathed, the thing that made them real.

The dragons ignored the signs, believed the humans were just curious and growing, as harmless as flies. They received a rude awakening, a hatchling slayed for its power, barely a day old. He was not present that day, that year, nor that decade, visiting an old friend in Alvarez and travelling the world.

Alvarez and it's neighbours were in a war, dragons against dragons, and soon enough, the humans joined the front. He'd watched the fall of the dragons there, the humans engrossed by the magic they'd once admired from afar. It was in their nature to betray their guardians, to slit their throats as they lay wounded and sleeping.

In Cathlora, they stole the magic of hatchlings and elders, using that power to destroy nests and slaughter hundreds of his kin. He had seen the dead bodies of his mate and brood, their corpses striped of their scales and horns.

Before the betrayal, he would have given his life to protect the humans, to ensure their survival. Now, as he watched their villages burn and people perish, he couldn't suppress the sick glee that twisted his stomach.

They were traitors and cowards, quick to betrayal but scared of the repercussions. In the Order of Dragons, traitors were rewarded with death, and he saw it befitting of them and their spineless actions.

He flew high above the burning village, sparkling amber eyes watching with little interest as a young spark dragon rained hell upon them. If he remembered correctly, the dragoness had been one of Wenlara's brood, once five strong before being reduced to one. Wenlara and her offspring had been some of the first, she six hundred years young and her brood ranging from two to three hundred.

The dragoness let out a keening cry, it was a heartbreaking song of her pain and a decree of vengeance. He considered echoing that cry, but thought better, he was unnecessary, a simple observer in this purge.

Eventually looking away, he observed the mountain peaks rising a hundred or so miles ahead, piercing the sky like jagged claws.

A request for his presence had been sent by his friend in Alvarez, demanding his fast paced arrival. He wondered what exactly the fire dragon king would need of him in such short notice. Igneel had always been a creature of impulse, acting before thinking, getting them in situations that _he_ had to think their way out of.

Hopefully, the overheated lizard had only managed to melt a mountain, although he doubted that would be the case.

* * *

It took nigh' two days to reach the rendezvous point, and by sundown, his wings ached and his steps hindered slightly by exhaustion.

Igneel had requested to meet in the ancient rookery, a dragon keep hidden deep below the earth. The dragons of old had raised their youth in its depths, abandoning it millenia later for the safer rookeries hidden within the oceans. No humans knew of its existence, it was older than time itself.

He stepped carefully into the crystalline caverns, bristling at the amount of _pure_ magic that thickened the air and swirled through the rocks. He could hear the click of heavy talons on stone as he descended, following them until he entered a massive cavern, the red form of Igneel curled at the centre of it.

"Draconis, old friend… it's been too long." He almost rolled his eyes at that, seating himself a few tail-lengths from the larger dragon. Igneel dwarfed him easily, nearly four heads taller than Draconis.

"It has, but that's not why you've called me here." He swung his head to better observe the cavern, taking note of how the blue crystals that glowed with an ethereal light. Taking a deep breath to continue, he paused as an easily notable scent reached him. In an instant, he was bearing down on Igneel, silver-coloured fangs bared in a menacing snarl. "There are humans here! Why do they still breathe?!"

Igneel's usually lax gaze sharpened, and Draconis found himself dropping his head in submission at the emotion in his friend's eyes.

"They breathe because they are young and we are not monsters. They are why I asked you here." Slowly, the fire dragon lifted a wing that had been blanketing his side, revealing two sleeping humans, a male and a female. The male had a head of shaggy pink hair, eyes closed as he slumbered peacefully. The female, curled beside the boy, had long hair akin to gold, hand clutching loosely at Igneel's side as if to borrow his warmth. They both looked no older that seven.

"They should be dead!" The fire dragon king snarled at that, tail tip lashing quietly.

"You are blinded by pain and vengeance Draconis! Would you kill these younglings? If you would, you are no better than the humans which we now fight!"

"Why did you summon me?" The bite in his tone had Igneel snarling, but he paid no mind, confusion and anger taking precedence.

"They are the final heirs to two families that defended our kind, their parents killed for defending Grandine when she was injured earlier this month." Draconis's eyes widened at that. Igneel, as a requirement of all dragon kings, could never lie. His eyes fell back to the children, regarding them.

"You wish for me to protect them?"

"No, you will train the girl, Lucy. Her mother, with her dying breaths, delivered a prophecy, and, to achieve it, she must become a Dragon Soul mage under your tutelage." He paused when the boy stirred, cuddling closer to Lucy before settling again.

"Are they mates?" The fire dragon chuckled at that, eyes drifting to the pair.

"They will be… the boy, Natsu, will become a Fire Dragon Soul mage, but without Lucy, they will never be able to overcome the impending disaster." He turned his gaze to Draconis, who was looking down at his silvery-black scales in thought. "Draconis? Do you accept?" He heaved a heavy sigh, taking in the girl's small form, pausing when he realised that she was watching him back. He was almost shocked by the look within the molten pools of chocolate. Draconis could easily sense the latent magic that resided within her body. That same magic seemed to flow within the boy, to a slightly greater extent, and before he realised it, he was nodding.

"I accept…"


	2. Fairytail

**Fairytail**

A loud boom reverberated through the building, easily gaining the attention of the adults. They all turned their gaze to the back of the building, taking in the sight before them.

The three newest kids were practically a mess of flailing limbs. The eldest, a red-headed girl, had a firm grip on the black-haired boy's forearm, ignoring the ice creeping up her arm as she threw him into the other boy. They bounced a few times before coming to a stop, loud groans coming from them.

Erza advanced on them as they untangled their limbs and settled into sparring positions. Ice encased one pair of fists while flames wreathed around the other. Most adults lost interest when the next punch was thrown, predicting the outcome of the match.

When flames started to sear and burn at the walls, slowly filling the air with smoke, the guild's massive doors creaked open suspensefully, making many of the adults roll their eyes.

"Natsu, Erza, Gray! You three better not be destroying my building!" It was as if they were hit with a freeze spell, eyes wide as they stared at the speaker. Erza, being the first to relax, bowed her head, a sharp look telling the boys to copy.

"Apologies Master Makarov, we don't mean to cause damage…" he had perched himself on the bar by then, letting out a quiet groan when Gray gave a small shove to his age-mate's side.

"Damn glad that the Strauss' are on that quest, if it had been all six, they would've totalled the building…" he grumbled quietly, earning a laugh from Macao and Wakaba. "Make sure you don't, I don't want to have to suspend your first quest now do I?"

He didn't know much about the kids, none had been here for more than a month, Natsu only arriving four days ago. Unlike Erza and Gray, who has settled quite quickly in the guild life, Natsu could still be highly aggressive and cold at times, much like the dragons he claimed raised him. Most ignored or flat out laughed at the fourteen-year-old, dragons had been dead for 400 years. That probably didn't help with his attitude. They promptly shut their mouths when the boy bore down on them, scarlet scales decorating his skin and a spine-quivering growl ripping from his throat.

Sometimes Makarov questioned if he was human. He knew others did too, the boy had an animalistic side to him.

"Master? That quest you had me track down, I have it here for you." Melgara took a seat on the stool beside him, holding out a request paper. Grinning, he took it from the woman, peering at the hastily scribbled words. He'd been waiting for this the entire past week and it was finally here.

A friend of his had come to him for help, an unknown creature had appeared in the neighbouring forest, letting off large waves of magic and piercing howls. Makarov had gone to deal with the creature, but the village head turned him away, saying there'd be no guilds in his territory without his request. The creature had been wreaking havoc since the seventh, and it seemed that the head had finally noticed how much trouble they had.

_Monster Slaying Job_

_The Banshee of Barrier Woods_

_A powerful creature of unknown species appeared close to our village. It has released enough magic that the animals and monsters are fleeing the area, making it harder for us to hunt. Anyone that attempts to get closer has been crushed by the magic or deafened by the noise the creature makes. _

_Slay it and ensure there are none remaining in the area._

_Location: Cyprus Village_

_Reward: 100,000 Jewel_

He raised a grey brow at the reward, it was rather low considering the task, but at the same time, he was far from surprised. Cyprus village was rather poor, with near no mages and their economy based on hunting monsters and animals for their meat and parts. It was thanks to places like Cyprus that Direwolf weapons -for example- existed. Makarov always pitied small villages of that nature, they sold their resources and barely turned a profit, while the buyers raked in obscene amounts of money after refining said resources. It may be the way of the world, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Grey eyes gravitated towards the rambunctious brats, the three having a quiet but heated discussion. Hopefully, the job wouldn't be too difficult that he couldn't follow his original plan. Since the three were still relatively new to the way of guild-life, he'd opted to bring them along, they'd need the experience considering they were all old enough to go on minor jobs. Fairytail was proud to have it's younger members take to the scene much earlier than other guilds, it gave them much more practice and he found they learned quicker around this age.

Folding the paper so that it sat comfortably in his breast pocket, Makarov raised a hand calling over the barmaid, a grouchy earth mage. She didn't even bother asking him what he wanted, it was always the same, a mug of imported ale from Bellum. Practically slamming the alcohol down on the sticky bar top, she barely spared a grin, whirling around to get back to work. He didn't mind the lack of friendliness, although he was a bit upset that he hadn't gotten to marvel at the magnificent view down her lowcut top.

When he was done a third of the mug, he set it down and enjoyed the burn of it. The old man could always relax with a good drink. He was so relaxed that he didn't notice when about five swords materialized in the air, glistening in the light where they hovered. A firm shake had his eyes open, and he damn near choked on his tongue as they came plunging down, pinning a fighting Natsu and Gray by their clothes while Erza watched with a smirk.

"What did I just say?!" they all called out apologies as the boys peeled themselves from the floor, sheepishly rubbing at the back of their necks. Peering at the clock hanging just behind the bar, he returned his attention to the young teenagers. "Head back to your rooms and start packing. It's late and we'll be leaving first thing in the morning."

He'd never seen those three move so in sync before, all sprinting out the door in under five seconds.

"Well, they seem excited."

**xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx**

Where was she? This wasn't the mountain that they'd claimed as their home. There were no mountain animals, no scarceness of greenery, no cool, crisp air blowing through her hair. Worst of all, there was no Draconis…

Where was her father?

She was heavily disoriented in this environment, the trees were massive, foliage dense, the air humid and warm. There were so many scents, animals and plants alike, making her head spin and stomach churn with discomfort.

Stumbling around the area she'd woken in, she tried to spot the shining dark scales of Draconis or maybe the glint of light against his amber eyes. There was nothing though, she couldn't pick out his scent mingled with the dozen others, or hear the soft thump of his heart. As she switched from relying upon sight to scent and hearing, she felt a dull ache begin to pound at the back of her head.

She didn't realise how bad it was until she stumbled over her own feet, tripped over a thick tree root, then landed harshly face-first. Wheezing as she flipped herself over, she grit her teeth, a tear slipping past scrunched eyes as the headache amplifies. The sounds were too loud, the scents overpowering to the point of being nauseating. '_Sensory overload.'_ that's what he called it wasn't it? Draconis had warned her briefly about it, essentially, there was too much going on for her body to cope.

"**Draconis…"** she tapered off, more tears falling from her eyes. "**Papa, please help me… Papa, I'm scared, please, please come back…"** she whimpered out the words, sounding completely broken as she called out to him.

**xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx**

_Stumbling on wobbly legs, she tried to reach the rocky wall, catching herself just before her legs gave out. She slid roughly to the ground, settling into the soft snow beneath her. Chocolate brown eyes stared out at the mountains, scanning over their rocky forms, searching for anything familiar. _

_Silently, she cursed herself, burrowing her hands under her arms to keep them from freezing further. Draconis had left the nest less than an hour ago and her boredom and curiosity got the better of her. She'd left the nest to go to one of the further caves in the neighbouring mountain, sure she'd spotted a few creatures slinking in and out of it._

_Too wrapped up thinking about what she may find, the nine-year-old didn't notice the hulking monster watching her, icy blue gaze unflinching as it tracked its prey. The blonde was sliding carefully down a rather large rock when it pounced. It's piercing cry was all the warning she got, rolling out of the way as its talons slashed viciously through space she once occupied. She scrambled to her feet as the blizzardvern came back around, it's maw open in a roar. _

_The blonde shot her arms out, palms facing the monster, willing for the magic coursing through her to act accordingly. A barrier of silvery purple gas formed, solidifying in an instant. The galaxy dragon's guard held fast against the heavyweight of the wyvern, but the strain it had on her was immense. She had never been great at holding her spells, Draconis said it would come with experience and age. The aggressive beast roared again, wings beating harshly as it tried to break her guard. _

_The drain on her magic sapped away at her strength, and she felt her knees begin to buckle, willing all of her strength into keeping the spell up. The blizzardvern shrieked, obviously annoyed by how much difficulty it was having, and smashed its talons against her guard. Cracks spread over its expanse and she fell heavily to her knees as it crumbled. It crooned its victory, fangs bore to deliver the final blow._

_Panic and fear made her sick to her stomach, and in a last-ditch attempt at surviving, she let off a burst of galaxy magic from her hands, shooting herself away from the wyvern and directly towards the edge of a steep drop. Gut twisting even further, her eyes darted between the beast and the drop. Only one was certain death, she was sure that her slowly hardening dragon scales would protect her well enough from a fall. She'd definitely get an earful from Draconis after this fiasco._

_Pitching over the side, she squeezed her eyes shut as gravity took hold, waiting for the inevitable impact. _

_Shaking her head to clear the rather painful memory, she curled more into herself, shivering when the howling winds blew even colder. Looking around above her, she eventually found the ledge she'd fallen from, nearly forty feet above her. Considering it now, the fall should've killed her, her only saving grace being that she'd landed in a massive snow mound. _

_She felt the prickle of scales beneath her skin, wanting to break-through and help shield her from the biting cold. They rose up almost instantly, rather soft and lighter than they would be. Draconis said they would harden and darken fully by the time she turned fourteen, but for now, she had to be careful, not that she was. _

_With the extra layer of protection, the cold was dulled slightly, and she eventually picked herself up, disregarding the snow clinging to her. The task of getting all the way back up proved to be more difficult than getting down. Finding a rather clear wall of rock, she worked to get a good grip, hauling herself up with shaky but strong limbs. The wall would take her about halfway up. _

_The climb proved to be rather difficult, she ended up having to use only her arms for the majority of it, only barely able to get a good grasp on the rocks. Panting heavily, she clambered up the final few feet, barely hauling herself up. She rolled to lay on her back, chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath._

"_**Hells…" **__she peered up at the sky, picking out the sun, hidden behind the sparse clouds. It must've been nearing three hours since Draconis had left. That meant she had been passed out from the fall for nearly two hours. He'd be home soon from his hunt, expecting her to welcome him back. _

_Lucy stayed there for a while, taking in the sight, sounds, and smells of the mountains. She couldn't will herself to look away from the sky, enraptured by the soft movements of the clouds. It distracted her from the burning in her arms and the coldness that seeped past her scales and skin, sinking into her bones. Sagging into the snow, she hummed as she imagined that it was just a thick blanket, soft and comforting. There was still a decent amount of hiking and climbing left, which would require her to first find the way up. It'd do no harm if she had a quick nap, would it?_

_The sound of talons clicking against the rocky ground had her blinking her heavy eyes open as she woke. When did she fall asleep? Something nudged her side and she groaned swatting weakly at whatever it was. The thing roughly nudged her side again and she turned her bleary gaze to it. Amber eyes stared down at her with concern, warm breath puffing against her cheek._

"_**Stay awake my little star…" **__she watched as his talons dug through the snow beneath her, lifting her carefully into her father's grasp. Draconis cradled her gently against his chest, just over his heart, as he spread his feathered wings. The warmth of his scales and the thumping of his heart warmed her inside and out, the safety of being with him helping her to relax. She didn't even notice when he stopped moving, the warmth of their nest wrapping around both of them._

_She weakly rolled from his grasp when he moved to set her down, landing on her feet but putting most of her weight on Draconis's talons. He'd taken her to the small hot spring deeper in the nest._

"_**Warm yourself up little one." **__she nodded, staggering over to sink into one of the cooler pools. _"_**Why were you out there? You know it's unsafe to leave until you're old enough." **__He rolled his eyes when he realised she was bathing in her better clothes, a short dress of mountain lion hide. _

"_**I-I was curious…"**_ _he laughed at that, bumping her with his nose to push her a bit further under._

"_**You're lucky you've got frost in your veins like me... " **__He turned to leave, trusting that his daughter would be able to handle herself from here. He'd understandably left his catch behind when he'd spotted her and he needed to retrieve it before the monsters nearby claimed it._

"_**I didn't t-think you'd come back in time." **__Draconis barely caught her words and she watched him carefully from where she was. He chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at the little blonde._

"_**I'll always come back in time for you my little star… I will always take care of you."**_

**xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx**

Where was he? Where was her papa?

The young dragon-slayer cut back a whimper when something howled, slowly propping herself up. Another howl had her getting to her feet and covering her ears. She had to find Draconis, she needed her father.

With that single thought driving her, she took a step forward, forcing herself to stand strong on her feet as she faced the unknown before her.

'_I'll find you, papa... I promise.'_


	3. Old & New

**Old & New**

They quickly jumped into the train cabin, the doors sliding closed and nearly catching Erza's ankle as it went. Makarov sighed his relief a having all three kids on the train, glad he hadn't managed to leave one behind. It had proven to be a serious task getting Natsu onto the train, he'd frozen up at the sight of it, vehemently fighting to stay on solid ground. It had taken serious convincing to get the boy to agree to board, Makarov had to promise that he'd be first to accompany him into the forest.

As the train stuttered to life and began to move, the guild master realised just why the pinkette had been so against the transportation. Gray cackled as Natsu hunched over, holding his stomach as his face blanched and gagged.

"Big bad _dragon's_ got motion sickness!" Erza rolled her eyes at the teasing, looking almost disappointed. He wondered if she was a child sometimes, she could be as mature as an adult at times despite her age. We moved further into the cabin, managing to find an open booth. Natsu took the window seat, pressing his cheek against it as he whimpered quietly. Erza sat in the middle as a divider with Gray sitting opposite to Natsu.

"You didn't tell us much about this job Master. It's in Cyprus Village right?" the redhead's question was answered with a nod, the old man noticing how the three teenagers' attention shifted completely to him, although Natsu's green eyes were rather unfocused.

"Yes, it is… The creature's relatively unknown but quite strong, which is why I'm only bringing one of you at a time to see it. Considering the power it's letting off, you three may not even be able to get close."

"Are you going to kill it?" Gray braced his elbows on his knees, giving Makarov a hard stare.

"Hopefully it can be relocated, but if it stands as too much of a threat, it'll have to be killed. I doubt it will come to that though, it's never left the area it's in."

"It sounds territorial." Attention turned to Natsu, who seemed to be fighting his nausea as he spoke. "If it just showed _-uurp- _up, is scaring away creatures in its area, and not leaving, it's probably defending its territory." Makarov gave the boy a pensive stare, surprised by his solid theory. "It might not leave even if we make it, it might go back after."

"I fear you may be right… If you are, then we'll be facing something rather powerful, we must not forget that it managed to drive away a direwolf pack." He watched the frowns form on the teenagers' faces, none of them comfortable with the idea of killing something.

They didn't talk much after that, the trio silently watching the shifting terrain through the windows.

* * *

Natsu groaned as he staggered out of the wagon, letting his body drop to rest on the grass, warmed by the bright sun. The train ride had lasted for nearly three hours, and then Makarov had ushered them into a wagon since Cyprus Village was approximately an hour from the train station. The dragon-slayer didn't react much when a toe prodded at his ribs, giving a warbled moan and pressing his cheek further into the grass.

"Never thought something would get ya to shut up Flame-Brain." the foot kicked a bit harsher at his side, Gray leaned slightly over his rival.

"**You're lucky I can't destroy you Icebucket…"** the words were growled out in dragon's tongue, startling the ice mage back a few steps as heat swelled off the pinkette. Natsu didn't find himself speaking dragon's tongue too much, Igneel had preferred human's common tongue, so when he did speak it, people knew he wasn't happy.

When his head finally stopped spinning and his stomach settled, he propped himself up. Makarov was speaking to an elderly man, Erza sharpening a blade, and Gray was forming ice crystals in his hands. The fourteen-year-old rose to his full height and rolled out his shoulders, grinning softly as the muscles stretched and relaxed a bit. The guild-master seemed to notice his recovery, waving over Natsu and his age-mates.

"This is Frank Terri, he's an old friend of mine." Natsu didn't care much to introducing himself, simply grumbling his name before partially zoning out, waiting for them to bring up more interesting topics.

To be honest with himself, Natsu didn't look forward to seeing whatever creature was in the Barrier Woods, he understood their need for territory. His father had allowed him to carve a small bit of territory for himself when he was eleven, it had become his safe space, nothing daring to enter without permission.

"-stronger at night, so it would be best to hunt it down when the sun's high. It's been a bit quieter lately, it's weakening but it's still strong judging by its magic and cries." the pinkette zoned back in, nodding as the old fellow finished.

"Alright… We'll eat before heading to deal with the creature. I'll pay you a visit once we've completed the mission." Makarov gave his friend a soft smile then gestured for Erza, Gray, and Natsu to follow. They trailed after the guild-master, their travel bag slung securely over Erza's shoulders, lightly packed with only food and a bottle of whiskey Makarov had been adamant about bringing. They moved closer to the woods, aiming for a relatively nice-looking patch of grass. Natsu shivered as they drew near to the creature's general area. His senses were much sharper than any humans' could ever be, so it was easy for him to pick up the faded waves of magic.

They sent shivers down his spine as they permeated the air and soaked into the earth, strengthening the natural magic. He paused as he tried to better feel the magic and analyse it, nearly choking on his tongue when he recognized the signature feel of draconic magic.

"Natsu c'mere! We'll be able to start hunting after we eat." The idea of food snapped him out of focus, and he pinned a final glare on the looming trees of the forest before spinning on his heel, darting to his guild-mates and stacking a plate of sandwiches.

"Damnit you fatass, I wanted that!"

He stood just a few metres from the others, back facing them as he surveyed the forest from afar. The waves of magic had fizzled out while they were eating, most likely from the creature weakening. Emerald eyes were narrowed in the general direction he assumed the creature to be in, drifting up to take in the sun, stationed above them, sky clear and blue. Natsu quietly relished its heat, reminded of when he and Igneel would relax on beaches, letting it warm their scales.

Lifting an arm, he held it just in front of himself, watching as ruby red scales crept up right away, a shiny layer of dragon scales armouring the limb. They were barely a shade lighter than Igneel's, but they shone like gemstones in the light.

"I'm going to find you, dad… I promise." He muttered under his breath, willing away the scales just as Makarov stepped up to his side, watching the pinkette carefully.

"Ready my boy?" Nodding, Natsu gave the mage a sharp grin, letting fire wrap around his wrists. Makarov luckily didn't seem to notice the lack of true fire in the teenager's eyes, leading the way as they moved into the Barrier Woods.

It didn't take long for Natsu to pick up the magic again, able to pick out its draconic aura easily. It seemed to cool him and steal the life from the air. Apprehensive, he stepped more carefully, eyes sharp and alert.

"Is that the creature?" Makarov's question startled the dragon-slayer, who had been so focused on the surrounding sights and magic that he didn't notice the growls and howls. A particularly long growl gave him pause, surprise rooting his feet to the overgrown forest floor.

The next cry had him moving, fire charring any foliage in his way as he practically charged forwards. Makarov moved to stop him but decided against it when he noticed the ruby scales that coated the pinkette.

'_There's no way!'_ he cringed back as a stronger wave of magic slammed into him, trying to ignore the feeling of ice creeping through his veins.

"**Pa… Are you…" **he could hear the words properly now, taking in the familiar sounds of dragon's tongue. Getting closer, he realised he was reaching a clearing, catching sight of something gold as another wave of magic crashed into him, sending the male sprawling on his back.

Behind him, the old mage watched carefully as Natsu crept to the clearing, low to the ground.

"**Papa, please… where are you…"** the pinkette's heart ached slightly at the pain in their voice, finally getting close enough that he could get a decent view of them.

Curled up and shivering violently in the middle of the clearing was a girl. Her golden hair fell in thick curtains to the ground and silvery-black scales covered everything in sight save for her face. Scenting the air, he picked up the soft, sweet scent of vanilla and strawberries, easily tracing it back to the girl. He moved to speak, throwing up his arms to block the next wave of magic that came as she sobbed. Unsure of what to do, he crept closer to her, reaching out hesitantly.

Almost immediately, the blonde girl was up on weak legs, fangs bared and fingers curled and ready to scratch with wickedly sharp nails. She lunged at him, trying to catch him around the throat, but he sidestepped, letting her stumble past. The blonde snarled again, chocolate brown eyes molten with terror and hostility. This time when she lunged, he wasn't able to get away, squawking indignantly when she pinned him by his throat, a knee pressed firmly into his stomach.

Leaning close enough that there was barely any space between them, she practically _roared_ in his face. Before he knew what his body was doing, he had bucked himself free, breaking her hold and rolling so that she was pinned. Pretty much sitting on her, he responded to her roar with a snarl of his own, the sound startling her to the point where her pupils rounded from sharpened points and she sagged weakly into the ground.

Watching for any signs of resistance, the pinkette hesitantly rolled off of the blonde, surprised when she didn't move much. He rubbed gingerly at his throat, glad his scales had protected it. there'd no doubt be bruising later.

"Hey, you okay there blondie?" he mumbled, knowing full well that she could hear him. Natsu was still a bit shell-shocked by her appearance, he'd never think to find someone else like him, able to don the scales of dragons and use their magic.

"I-i can n-not…" Frowning, he quickly recognized the growls and snarls that slipped into her common tongue.

"**Are you alright?" **he switched to dragon's tongue, noting the slight relief on the blonde's face before it was clouded by despair.

"**No… I-I need to find him…" **Natsu huffed, watching as she attempted to sit up, catching her with a hand on her back when she crumpled back to the ground.

"Natsu!" Makarov's sharp call had him turning his head, eyes finding the guild-master. The man was jogging up to them and he felt the blonde tense, his hand still on her back. The pinkette gestured for him to slow and crouch low, sensing the apprehension the girl had, her magic saturating the air. Moving much slower, Makarov reached Natsu's side, peering cautiously at the blonde.

Letting her rest on the grass again, he rolled to his feet, saying in a low crouch. The blonde was trembling slightly but met Makarov's gaze, unflinching in a way only a dragon could be.

"Are you alright my dear?" He asked quietly. She took a moment to react, eyes flickering between the two males before shaking her head.

"**We're not gonna hurt you." **Natsu rumbled quietly, giving her a small grin when she looked to him. Now that he could take a good and proper look at her, he let his eyes roam. She was strong and fast, obvious by her defined but lean muscles, but he could see the exhaustion in the way she moved, any motion slow and clumsy, her eyes slipping closed constantly, only to shoot open a moment later.

"Does she understand me Natsu?"

"**I'm not deaf…"** the pinkette chuckled at that, the pair slightly annoying the guild-master.

"She can't speak common well but she can understand it." Nodding, Makarov gave the blonde a quick once-over before stepping back.

"I'll have to go talk to Terri and the village chief… Natsu, bring her to where the others are." the two dragon-slayers watched as Makarov left, the blonde barely able to keep her eyes open. Frowning, Natsu got to his feet, careful to keep himself low so that she wouldn't freak out.

"**We should get going… Can you walk?"** she huffed at the question as if it offended her, then staggered to her feet, falling forward when her legs buckled under her weight. Luckily, Natsu managed to catch her as she crashed into him. Her pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She struggled to stand and after a moment he sighed, crouching as he moved to pick her up, ignoring her startled yelp.

The fire mage held her close as he started to move, careful that he had a good hold of her as he carried her princess style. The blonde's head eventually lolled to rest against his collarbone, her nose buried into his scarf. He almost missed when she mumbled into the scarf, voice quieted as she began to fade into unconsciousness.

"**I'll find you… I promise…" **


	4. New Beginnings

**New Beginnings**

_**"Papa! Papa come back!"**__ She sat high up in the nest, teetering precariously on the edge of a cliff. Draconis watched her silently from the entrance of the nest, amber eyes cold and distant. He let out a rumbling sigh, then without even a glance back, left her behind._

_Lucy hadn't expected to be woken by talons wrapped gently around her middle, lifting her high from her bedding, her legs dangling limply beneath her. When he'd deposited her on the cliff, the one he always complained that scratched at his wings, she was completely awake, brown eyes wide with confusion. He stepped away quickly, putting enough distance between them that she wouldn't be able to jump to him._

_**"I'm sorry my little star…"**__ Draconis rumbled out the words, barely able to meet Lucy's confused and scared gaze. Without waiting for a response, the galaxy dragon turned his head away, eventually padding away, tail still and wings slumped. "It is for the best." Lucy flinched at that. Draconis barely ever spoke with the common tongue, the tongue of monsters he called it, so his sudden switch completely shocked the blonde._

_"Papa… __**Wh-where are you going?" **_

_He left her behind, no explanation, not even a proper goodbye. Tears steadily began to prick at her eyes. She jumped at every little movement and shift in the winds, sat on the cliff for what felt like weeks._

_**'He's gone and abandoned you. Your Papa never even wanted you in the first place. You're weak, not fit to be a dragon, not fit to be his daughter.' **_

_She whipped around, eyes wide, searching for the voice, her heart hammering violently in her chest._

_**'Because of you and your kind, Draconis is alone.'**_

_**"Where are you? Where's Papa?!"**_

_**'You'll never be able to find me, after-all little monster, I'm in your head.~'**_

* * *

Somehow, he didn't stumble over a root or rock on his way back to Erza and Gray, focus constantly falling to the girl in his arms.

The dark scales that had been covering her skin earlier were nowhere in sight, having sunk back beneath her skin as she had drifted off. Her hands gripped lightly at his scarf, her nose tickling at his neck. When he'd picked her up, she buried her nose in his scarf, eventually switching to his neck. Most likely, she found comfort in his and Igneel's scent.

He could understand the action, sometimes holding the scarf to his nose if only to take in his father's scent. Judging by her lack of belongings, aside from the warm pelt wrapped firmly around her as a dress, she didn't have any reminder of her parent.

Natsu managed to catch himself when he stumbled over a well-hidden rock, a few colourful words slipping from his mouth in dragon tongue. Looking fully away from the blonde, he turned his gaze towards where they'd set up, catching the wisps of smoke that floated into the sky.

Following them, it didn't take long before they were close enough that he picked up Erza and Gray's scents, as well as their little fire. Frowning slightly when the girl sagged more into his arms, he shifted her a bit more to make sure he couldn't accidentally drop her, curling her body slightly into himself. He didn't blush like most would when her lips ghosted lightly over the bare skin on his neck, letting a soft rumble escape from his throat.

The wind, which had been coming from their right for the majority of the trek, changed directions to blow softly in their faces, not that the blonde would really notice. Natsu shivered slightly when it brought her scent to his nose, much stronger than it had been before. He grunted when it invaded his senses, her rich vanilla and strawberry scent reminding him of the pastries Macao had brought in the other day. His mouth watered at the thought and for a second he wondered if her skin would taste like the sweet desserts.

Realising where his train of thought led, the pinkette snarled lightly to himself, reigning in the thoughts stirred up by his draconic side. He doubted that the blonde would come even close to appreciating him tasting her skin.

It didn't take long after that for him to finally reach the edge of the woods, stepping carefully over a rather thorny looking bush and emerging into the clearing. The redhead and ravenette were standing with their backs to him, a pair of swords hovering in the air in front of them. Natsu cackled when Erza's sword swung, shattering the icy blade that Gray had summoned with a rather light blow.

Erza stiffened slightly at the noise, her shoulders raised then quickly relaxing. He could tell she knew it was him before she turned, her ability to sense magic nearly as strong as a dragon's. Gray seemed to be a bit more startled, spinning to face them rather abruptly, unlike the calm and steady pivot the requip mage did. Almost immediately both pairs of eyes fell on the girl in his arms, rushing to meet him.

"What happened?! Did the monster hurt her?" Erza's motherly worry surprised the dragon-slayer, matching his pace as he moved to the blanket they'd laid out earlier. On his right, Gray was quiet, regarding the blonde with a pensive look. He carefully eased her down onto the blanket, kneeling by her side while Erza and Gray took to the other.

"No… Gramps'll tell ya what happened. She isn't hurt or anything, just exhausted." He brushed a few soft strands of hair from her face, listening carefully to the soft beating of her heart.

"That's good. Where is he, didn't you go in together?"

"He said something about going to see the other dude… Berri. Probably since there wasn't a monster at all." Natsu watched carefully as Erza reached out to touch the blonde, feeling rather protective. He relaxed a bit when she rested her hand on her shoulder, cringing slightly at how cool the blonde's skin was.

"She's really pretty…" Gray's comment surprised them both, and the dragon-slayer narrowed emerald eyes. It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise, the blonde was rather nice-looking, although Gray's bluntness left much to be desired.

"She's drained, magic and energy-wise. She must have been awake the entire week…" Erza mumbled, a hand hovering just above the blonde's forehead. Both boys nodded at the observation, humming their agreement as well. "Let's give her some space, I doubt anyone would want to wake up to three people leaning over them."

Natsu threw her another glance before rocking to his feet, carefully stepping away. Gray and Erza were already a few steps ahead of him, but both froze when a whimper sounded.

The blonde had shifted slightly towards Natsu, quiet whimpers rumbling from her throat, hands twitching.

"I'll catch up guys, gimme a sec." He dropped to a knee when they left, unwinding his scarf from his neck. After folding it, he laid it beside the blonde, chuckling when she quickly snuggled into it, whimpers replaced by rhythmic purrs.

* * *

It had been three days since they'd gotten back to the guildhall. Makarov's friends had been pretty understanding—luckily enough—and helped them to get the girl to the train as comfortably as possible. Natsu had begrudgingly answered Erza and Gray's rather repetitive questions until they reached the station, he'd had to keep a tight leash on his instincts. He had felt uneasy when he'd let the adults carry the blonde, unable to keep himself completely calm, as if something would happen any minute now.

Makarov had let him sit beside her on the way back and he'd fallen asleep, waking up just outside of Magnolia with her head on his lap. They cleared one of the comfier cots in the infirmary for her, as far as possible from the overbearingly strong scent of cleaning agents. The pinkette refused to leave her side for more than half an hour, going as far as to sleep in an adjacent cot. He didn't listen to the others calling him weird and snapped when Gray mentioned doing the same thing.

On the 17th of July, he decided to spend more than the usual amount of time downstairs. The Strauss' had returned from a mission with one of the adults, and the youngest had tried to convince him to hang out. Lisanna quickly became his closest friend within his ten days at Fairytail. She was the only one that believed him right off the bat, something that he was rather grateful for at the time. She was a couple of years younger than her siblings, who took it upon themselves to be helicopter parents, so she had a tendency to be a bit more reckless and wild when it was just her and Natsu.

Since finding the blonde, he realised that the closeness he felt with Lisanna was nothing compared to what he felt with her. It was probably why he found it so hard to stay away. Nevertheless, he couldn't neglect his friends, so after a short while of making everything as comfortable as possible for the blonde, he finally left the infirmary.

Most guild members didn't bat an eye at the pinkette, but the ones that actually noticed gave quiet gasps of shock. Lisanna was sitting with her siblings, playing a game of cards when she noticed her friend, bright blue eyes widening at the sight.

"Natsu, where's your scarf? I thought you always wore it?" Her voice was a bit squeaky, giving away her age while also making the dragon slayer cringe slightly. How had he never noticed it? Natsu quickly reigned in his wayward thoughts, sliding into the bench across from her, bumping Elfman's shoulder in a friendly hello. The larger boy responded in kind before delving back into the game, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple as Mira dominated the table.

"I gave it to her, she gets really uneasy if I or my scarf isn't too close." Lisanna frowned slightly at his words but didn't say anything, focusing back on the game for a second, face paling as she took in what was happening. He kept himself from laughing when she put her hand down, leaving the game before Mira could annihilate her.

"You mean that blondie? She hasn't woken up?" Natsu shook his head—almost unnoticeably—lips twisting down in a grimace.

"No, she'll probably be awake in the next few days, the old lady said she's sleep-deprived." She wasn't sure why, but she wasn't too fond of the hopefulness in his voice. She's not a mean person, why would someone recovering from a stressful ordeal make her uneasy? She didn't realise she zoned out until Natsu kicked lightly at her shin, an expectant look on his face.

"What?"

"Do you wanna go to the market? Gramps gave me some money." He was asking her out? Lisanna blinked as she took in his words, a giddy feeling bubbling up inside her. Mira, the ever aware big sister she was, was already nodding when Lisanna turned to ask. Her lips twisted into a smile, bouncing out of her seat and grasping lightly at Natsu's wrist.

His skin was warm against her own and much warmer than anyone else's. It was nice. She let herself revel in the warmth of the dragon slayer's palm as they weaved through their guildmates, cackling when a fireball caught Gray's pant leg aflame. He yelled and chased after them, but Natsu managed to throw open the doors before the ice mage could catch up. They stood still for a minute, the pinkette eerily quiet.

"Natsu?" He jumped, whipping around to look down at her.

"Oh, sorry! The air's just really… weird." She took a deep breath, quirking an eyebrow at him. What was he talking about, it smelled just fine. The boy removed himself from her grasp and rubbed at his nose, turning on his heel. Lisanna debated on grabbing his wrist again, confidence swelling up at the idea. Her hand cut lamely through thin air as he walked off, oblivious to the embarrassed blush on Lisanna's slightly chubby cheeks.

They managed to walk for ten minutes without a single word shared between them, disappointing the girl to the point that she could feel tears of frustration pricking at her eyes. Natsu seemed to have almost forgotten she was there, not once looking back to check on her or anything. He was far more interested in their destination, steps hastening as people began to litter the streets.

Stuck in her own head, Lisanna didn't realise he'd stopped to look at her until he was snapping his fingers in front of her face. It took every last ounce of control she had to not jump a foot in the air. He gave a lopsided grin, his sharp canines glistening in the morning sun.

"C'mon, I need you to help me out 'Sanna!" He gestured to a jewelry stand off to the side, a multitude of expensive metals and gems decorating the shelves. No way! She practically bounced after him, eyes glittering as she looked over the stall. A portly old woman stood behind the shelves and racks, pale blue eyes watching the two titter around. Lisanna hovered around the necklaces, stuck between a sapphire pendant or an emerald one, both on silver chains.

"Uhh… ma'am do you have something that looks good with brown eyes?" she whipped around, shocked by his question. Brown eyes, she didn't have brown eyes… The pinkette stood at another table, head down, a subtle blush on his tanned cheeks. The woman gave a slightly surprised look but didn't question him, pointing out a few necklaces and bracelets that would match well

Lisanna stood watching, confusion turning to sorrow, barely able to keep her tears from spilling. Why would he invite her here if he was getting something for someone else? Why did she care so much anyway?

"'Sanna? Can you help me out, I can't choose which one." Natsu held up two necklaces, one with purple diamonds and the other with emerald gemstones. Both looked to be expensive as hell and jealousy bubbled up inside her. Maybe she could convince him to get her something, she probably deserved it more… No! What was she thinking? He's allowed to give his friends gifts, it's probably just someone's birthday.

"The purple one's cute!"

"Cool, I thought so too!" He carefully placed the emerald necklace down and handed over the purple one to the woman. She thoughtfully wrapped it in pastel pink tissue paper then placed it in a maroon velvet jewelry box, barely any bigger than her hand.

"That'll be 20 000 jewel." Natsu looked a bit uneasy at the amount, aggressively shaking his head before reaching to the pouch sat on his hip. The pinkette rapidly handed over the money, snatching the box just as quickly. He stared down at it for a moment before looking up to the woman and giving her a bright smile. The blue-eyed girl felt her mood lighten at his smile, a warm feeling washing over her.

"Thanks! Hey 'Sanna, is there anywhere you wanna go?" Maybe they could go to that ice cream stall Mira always talked about or Mr. Belfast's snack stand on main street. She knew Natsu loved his spicy chicken sandwiches for some crazy reason, it burned worse than any fire.

"Uhhh… Mr. Belfast's?" Natsu perked up even more at that, emerald eyes sparkling. He snatched up her wrist and took off running, giddily tugging her along as they weaved through people.

* * *

**'Wake up…' **

Her head throbbed. The dull thump left her squeezing her eyes, shifting to lay on her side. Something soft caressed her skin, cool and thin. The air smelled clean and lemony, to a point where it was completely overbearing. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open, hoping to find whatever atrocity was producing such a scent.

She was resting on a pale blue cot, its thin sheets blanketing over her body. There wasn't anyone in the room. Where was she?

As the blonde shifted, she hissed at the full body ache that racked her frame. Her muscles felt as if they hadn't been used in months, while also as if she'd climbed the tallest mountain in an hour. Yet again, she took in her surroundings, heart hammering in her chest as the situation dawned upon her. Where was she, where was her father?

The stiffness and pain was ignored as she slipped out of the cot, pupils narrowing to sharp slits. Taking a deep breath, she tasted the magic in the air, nose wrinkling at how… stale it tasted. In the medley of magics, she managed to pick out one that held a hint of familiarity, but that was something she'd consider later if need be.

Her eyes shifted to where the magic seemed to be greatest. A set of wooden double doors gave off a strong magical signature. A simple lock held them closed.

She had to get out, go find her way back to the nest. Draconis would be looking for her, she didn't want him to worry. As she crept up to the doors, a new scent hit her, muted but still present. The lemony scent of the room had smothered it. Opening one of the drawers to the large desk in the corner of the room, she paused as the scent fully hit her.

Frantically, she gathered the checker patterned scarf into her thin hands, pressing the soft fabric against her nose. A purr rumbled from her chest as the scarf's scent wrapped around her. It smelled like the campfires her father used to light on her 'birthday', hints of cinnamon peeking through. Beneath that all, was a scent she would be eternally familiar with, dragon.

Curiosity nagged at her as she wrapped it around her neck, relaxing slightly at its ever present warmth. Was there another dragon here? Maybe they could help her get home.

About to turn back to the door, her body froze when the magic in the air rippled, the spell on the door lifted. It swung open rather violently and a tall, pink haired woman strutted in, yellow eyes narrowed dangerously. Their eyes locked, and her limbs refused to do her bidding. Nuzzled into the scarf as if it were her ultimate protector, the blonde shook under the woman's glare, all thoughts of leaving smothered.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

* * *

**Hey guys! Yep, I'm still here with my botched update schedule! Hope everyone's doing good and staying sane with everything that's happening right now. Take care of yourselves, listen to the health experts, and please, pretty please, wash yo damn hands.**

**Aside from that, just wanted to tell you guys something I might've forgotten to mention. Whenever you see any bolded text, it means they're speaking in the dragon tongue. I just want to make that clear so y'all don't think they're constantly yelling at each other when the hold full conversations in dragon tongue. It's a language comprised of a lot of hisses and clicks, so yelling's not too common. **

**Yeah... I think that's all I needed to tell you guys, so that means I'll see you in the next update! Bye!**


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